George Family Foundation awards a combined $2.1 million to community partners in latest grant round

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 4, 2021) — In its first grantmaking round of 2021, the George Family Foundation awarded $2,121,000 to 22 organizations, out of an annual giving budget of $4.5 million.

Keeping with its practice of providing long-term support for its grantee partners, the Foundation renewed multiyear grants to Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota (a subsidiary of Planned Parenthood North Central States) for its peer education programs, The Carter Center, and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota in support of the Policy Fellows program, among others.

New grants focused on youth and wellbeing were made to the YMCA of the North for the George Wellbeing Center’s program expansion, the Irreducible Grace Foundation for general operations and capacity building, the Cultural Wellness Center to support a new community and economic development wellness approach in South Minneapolis and to Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) to support the Youth in Action (YA!) program. The Foundation also renewed annual operating grants to organizations in Minnesota and beyond.

“We feel grateful for the opportunity to support the inspiring work being done to further our mission of fostering wholeness in mind, body, spirit and community by organizations big and small,” said Foundation Co-Chair Penny George. “As a grantmaking organization, our goals and strategies cannot be accomplished without our nonprofit partners.”

Earlier this summer, the Foundation announced the appointment of Sean Malone as its new president. Malone will succeed Gayle Ober, who will retire at the end of 2021 after nearly 12 years with the George Family Foundation.

Grants approved at the spring 2021 board meeting include:

$400,000 to Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (a subsidiary of Planned Parenthood North Central States)* to support the Peer Education and Community Empowering a Vital Generation program, as well as the community resource scan and social network analysis in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

$400,000 to YMCA of the North to support the George Wellbeing Center to springboard the wellbeing program expansion.

$176,000 to the Georgia Tech Foundation* to support the ISyE George Fellows Leadership program.

$150,000 to Interfaith Youth Core* to support general operations.

$125,000 to The Carter Center* to support the Educational Programs’ Paid Initiative.

$100,000 to the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine* to support partial scholarships for Minnesota George Fellows for the Social Impact Program.

$100,000 to Auburn Seminary* to support the Sojourner Truth Leadership Circle: The Sankofa Year.

$75,000 to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs/University of Minnesota Foundation* to support scholarships for women and leaders of color in the nonprofit sector to participate in the Policy Fellows program.

$75,000 to the Irreducible Grace Foundation* to support general operations and capacity building.

$75,000 to the Mind & Life Institute* to support general operations.

$70,000 to the Page Education Foundation* to support general operations and the social impact study and analysis.

$50,000 to Faith in Public Life* to support general operations.

$50,000 to Minnesota Council of Churches* to support general operations.

$50,000 to The Loppet Foundation* to support the Adventures Youth Programs for youth in North Minneapolis.

$50,000 to Women Moving Millions* to support general operations.

$45,000 to Ripple Effect Images* to support general operations.

$25,000 to the Cultural Wellness Center to support a cultural wellness approach in South Minneapolis.

$25,000 to Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing to support general operations.

$25,000 to the Guthrie Theater to support the 2021-2022 annual fund.

$25,000 to University of St. Thomas to support the Morrison Family College of Health’s new School of Nursing to develop an integrative health curriculum.

$20,000 to Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES)* to support the Youth in Action (YA!) program.

$10,000 to Tergar International to support general operations.

* Denotes multiyear grant